National Parks Near Long Beach
National Parks near Long Beach. There’s so much more to the great state of California than the Queen Mary.
In this article, we’ll familiarize you with the incredible national parks that are within a day’s drive of downtown Long Beach.
First the bad news: America only has only 63 national parks.
Now the good news: We’ve got 7 of these incredible places within driving distance of Long Beach. That makes Long Beach #1 when it comes to giving people access to more national parks than any other U.S. city. If you’re curious, Salt Lake City comes in second with access to five incredible national parks.
I’ve been to so many of these amazing places since retiring from teaching in 2018. Did I mention that I taught history? I spent a lifetime teaching about the history behind these momentous sites. Then I got to see them firsthand. And now I’m sharing the stories of these incredible places with you. It doesn’t get any better than that!
Well, actually it does. I attended college in Southern California so the Golden State has a very special place in my heart.
Now let’s go ahead and share those 7+ reasons why you’ll want to make that day’s drive from Long Beach to one of these amazing places.
Table Of Contents
- Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Long Beach?
- Meet The Parks Brothers
- Channel Islands National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- The Queen Mary
- Sequoia National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Yosemite National Park
- Map Of National Parks Near Long Beach
Why Trust Us About National Parks Near Long Beach?
You should probably know that we don’t just make this stuff up out of thin air. My sons have spent their entire adult lives exploring and filming America’s national parks and public lands.
As for me, I’m a retired lifelong educator and a proud dad of these two wonderful guys who are hopelessly obsessed with the national parks. I taught history for over a quarter of a century. Now I enjoy researching and writing articles for More Than Just Parks. I’m always on the hunt for topics where nature and history intersect so please feel free to share any ideas that you might have with me.
We’ve worked with the National Park Service, the Department of Interior, and the U.S. Forest Service for years creating films on important places and issues. Our work has been featured in leading publications all over the world and even some people outside of our immediate family call us experts on the national parks.
Meet The Parks Brothers
We’re Jim Pattiz and Will Pattiz, collectively known as the Pattiz Brothers (and sometimes the Parks Brothers) and we absolutely LOVE the national parks.
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
Best National Parks Near Long Beach
1. Channel Islands National Park
Distance From Long Beach: It’s 104 miles from Long Beach to the Channel Islands National Park. There are four travel options.
I attended college in Los Angeles at the University of Southern California. I have fond memories of some of the amazing road trips that I took with my friends. In this article, I’m going to outline 7+ amazing road trips which you can take to see some of America’s most spectacular national parks.
You can begin by embarking on a journey to experience five incredible islands off of the coast of Southern California. They’re known as the Channel Islands.
Located in Ventura County, Channel Islands National Park offers it visitors five remarkable islands and their ocean environment. There you will experience a wealth of natural and cultural resources.
These islands unique geography over thousands of years has created animals, plants, and archeological resources found nowhere else on Earth. The Channel Islands have helped to preserve a very special place where visitors can experience coastal California as it once was a very long time ago.
Camping is available year round on all five islands. There are many trails and roads which traverse these islands and provide you with spectacular hiking opportunities.
RELATED: 6 AMAZING National Parks Near San Diego You’ll Love
2. Death Valley National Park | National Parks Near Long Beach
Distance From Long Beach: Four hours & 19 minutes via US-395 N.
I retired as a teacher so that I could join my two sons on an incredible adventure bringing America’s national treasures to life and the next national park on our list is one of the many reasons that I’m glad I did.
Death Valley is situated on California’s southeastern border with Nevada, Death Valley National Park spans over 5,000 square miles of otherworldly vistas. The largest national park in the continental United States, Death Valley is a park for superlatives.
It’s the hottest place on earth, the lowest place in North America, and the driest place in the United States. It is also the largest national park outside of Alaska.
While you’re there, check out the massive slanted valleys that go on forever and seem to lack only the crashed spaceship in the distance, snow-capped mountains, a year round waterfall (insane, right?), expansive forests abandoned mines, conifer groves, and some of the most stunning dune fields in North America comprise the park with the most morbid name.
RELATED: Death Valley National Park
The Death Valley Video
If you’re visiting the park be sure to check out our full Death Valley National Park Guide!
“Let us get the overall picture of this extraordinary sink and its forbidding mountain barriers.
The valley is boxed, east and west, by precipitous slopes–the Amargosa Range on the Nevada side, and the Panamints on the other. From Dante’s View or Zabriskie Point, on a day when the haze permits, the High Sierra can be seen.”
-Freeman Tilden, The National Parks
3. Joshua Tree National Park | National Parks Near Long Beach
Distance From Long Beach: Two hours & 30 minutes via CA-91 E.
Why go? Because Joshua Tree National Park is a world famous American destination known for it’s wacky namesake, the Joshua Tree. It’s the iconic southwestern desert park that you’ve heard so much about and probably seen featured in countless movies, television shows, and yes, of course music videos.
Named for the one-of-a-kind trees that call the area home, Joshua Tree National Park is a true desert wonderland.
Watercolor sunsets and night skies teeming with stars, fairy tale trees and giant boulder piles, warm desert air and endless vistas, these are the hallmarks of this iconic southwestern destination.
If you’re visiting the park be sure to check out our full Joshua Tree National Park Guide.
The Joshua Tree Video
4. Pinnacles National Park
Distance From Long Beach: Five hours & 26 minutes via I-5 N.
As one of the newest national parks, the list of things to do at Pinnacles National Park is still growing but already has some great additions.
The most recent addition of the California National Parks is a beauty featuring some lovely dry mountain scenery, caves exploration, condor viewing, and lots of great rock climbing opportunities.
With that being said, hiking is the main activity in the park and there’s plenty of it. A great time to check out the park is in the spring when the wildflowers are blooming.
RELATED: 10 [EPIC] Things To Do At Pinnacles National Park
5. The Queen Mary
Distance From Long Beach: 8 minutes via Queens Way.
We’re More Than Just Parks so we’re giving you more than just parks.
Since our focus in this article is Long Beach why not explore one of the grandest ships of all time.
The Queen Mary’s creation and launch was nothing if not extraordinary and her story is rich with history, elegance and grandeur. From the time her construction began in 1930 in Clydebank, Scotland, the Queen Mary was destined to stand in a class all her own.
Despite suffering economic setbacks during the Great Depression, which stalled construction on the ship for several years, Cunard Line spared no expense on building the Queen Mary – which was originally known as job #534.
On May 27, 1936, the Queen Mary departed from Southampton, England embarking on her maiden voyage. She boasted five dining areas and lounges, two cocktail bars and swimming pools, a grand ballroom, a squash court and even a small hospital.
The Queen Mary had set a new benchmark in transatlantic travel, which the rich and famous considered as the only civilized way to travel. She quickly seized the hearts and imaginations of the public on both sides of the Atlantic, representing the spirit of an era known for its elegance, class and style. (Source: The Queen Mary)
things to see & do
The Queen Mary nearby attractions and tours offer everything from state-of-the-art rides to walks through historic neighborhoods. Experience world class attractions in Greater Los Angeles. You’ll also find an array of unique shops featuring souvenirs, one-of-a-kind treasures, clothing, memorabilia, historic documents, artwork, and more.
Get an up close and personal look at the Queen Mary with one of our exciting and informative guided tours. From the ship’s groundbreaking construction and royal launch as the most luxurious and technologically advanced ocean liner at the time, to her duty as a troopship during WWII, to her golden days of the 1950s, to her earning the nickname, the “haunted ship,” the Queen Mary’s history is full of action, adventure, romance and paranormal activity.
Now you can explore the ship from bow to stern, inside and out, and hear unique stories, facts and insights about the Queen Mary from expert tour guides. (Source: The Queen Mary Tours & Exhibits)
6. & 7. Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks
Distance From Long Beach: Five hours & 14 minutes via I-5 N.
Sequoia National Park was established on September 25, 1890, making it our country’s second oldest national park.
Kings Canyon was established fifty years later on March 4, 1940.
Together, these two parks offer a truly unique experience for travelers looking to experience some of America’s most amazing natural wonders.
The Tallest Trees In The World
Of course, you’re going to want to be sure to visit the two stars of these two parks. The General Sherman Tree is the world’s largest tree, measured by volume. It stands 275 feet (83 m) tall, and is over 36 feet (11 m) in diameter at the base. It’s located in Sequoia National Park.
The General Grant Tree is located in Grant Grove in Kings Canyon National Park. The General Grant Tree is the second-largest tree in the world, standing 267 feet tall, and nearly 29 feet wide at the base.
RELATED: General Grant Tree: Everything You Need To Know About The World’s Second Tallest Tree
Of course, these two iconic two trees are named after the two victorious Civil War Generals Ulysses S. Grant and William T. Sherman.
RELATED: General Sherman Tree: Everything You Need To Know About The World’s Largest Tree
7. Yosemite National Park | National Parks Near Long Beach
Distance From Long Beach: Five hours & 27 minutes via CA-99 N.
We’ve saved the best for last. Yosemite National Park, America’s third oldest national park, is approximately 280 miles from Los Angeles.
In 2020, Yosemite had 2.27 million visitors. Yosemite is not America’s oldest national park though it was first protected eight years before the creation of Yellowstone-America’s oldest national park.
It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.
-John Muir
things to see
Yosemite is best known for its waterfalls, but within its 1200 square miles you’ll also find deep valleys, grand meadows, ancient giant sequoias, a vast wilderness area, and much more.
The magnificent valley is a 7 mile wide canyon with incredible rock formations, including El Capitan, the world’s tallest granite monolith and one of the world’s top rock climbing destinations.
Another place to visit it Yosemite Falls. It’s the largest waterfall in North America with breathtaking views. Peak visitation at the falls is in the spring as it is comprised entirely of melting snow. The park is also known for its Giant Sequoia trees, which are estimated to be over 3,000 years old. (Source: NPS)
If you want to learn more about this amazing park then check out 10+ (AMAZING) Yosemite National Park Facts You Probably Didn’t Know
List Of National Parks Near Long Beach
- Channel Islands National Park
- Death Valley National Park
- Joshua Tree National Park
- Pinnacles National Park
- The Queen Mary
- Sequoia National Park
- Kings Canyon National Park
- Yosemite National Park
Map Of National Parks Near Long Beach
Our goal here at More Than Just Parks is to share the beauty of America’s national parks and public lands through stunning short films in an effort to get Americans and the world to see the true value in land conservation.
We hope you’ll follow our journey through the parks and help us to keep them the incredible places that they are. If you’re interested in joining the adventure then please sign up below!
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